Ceasefire Offer: Chidambaram, Kishenji Exchange Numbers
Following conditional truce offer by Maoists and Centre’s rejection of it, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram exchanged numbers on Tuesday, though they declined to talk to each other, reported the Times of India.
Yesterday, Chidambaram had turned down the conditional ceasefire offer, saying that the government would not accept any ‘ifs and buts’ for talks, and asked the rebels to come out with a statement pledging to ‘abjure violence’.
He had said that if Maoists were ready, they could fax their truce offer directly to him on 011-23093155.
In response of invitation, Kishenji went a step further, saying, “’If he (Chidambaram) wants to talk on our ceasefire proposal, let him speak to me on my phone number 09734695789. He is welcome to call me on February 25 but after 5pm.”
However, he didn’t tell if he was prepared to fulfill Chidambaram’s demands to cease violence, said report.
Analysts believe that Centre said ‘no’ to conditional ceasefire offer, for Kishanji’s sudden move could just be a ruse to buy time when the multi-state offensive turned the heat on the rebels.
Also, there are doubts if the Maoist leader, who had only a couple of days ago portrayed himself as an anti-talk hardliner, was speaking for the entire group. Naxal attacks on camps of paramilitary forces in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal only served to reinforce the suspicion.
